Last months hunt had us KD6LAJ and myself travailing through this area during last months hunt, and we decides to hide in this area. Keeping in mind that this was a MEATHEAD, which traditionally has been off norm for a normal hide, we wanted something a bit different (although the multiple same transmitter Id has been used before). Unknown to us was that the KD6LAJ transmitter also was Iding as T9 as did two of KF6GQ transmitters! And I for one must apologize to the VCR team when they where curious of the LAJ T. It was about 20:00 hours and LAJ had just informed me that his transmitter was down and in route home, then when Tom VCR team also had questions about the T that they were chasing and thought it was KD6LAJ T9. I was confused, so I might have been a bit incoherent on the subject, I listened on the phone and it sounded like my T9, so it couldn’t of been Steve’s. (his T9 was in the car near Fontana on way home)
Apparently someone had muggled Steve LAJ’s T and it had been off for hours by that time. N6MI had checked into that T much earlier and then it went off the air, Steve said that both the antenna had been disconnected and the power cable had been detached! Note: unfortunately this T was in plane sight of the Pacific Crest Trail. Also close by was a ranch that had many visiting cars (Steve’s observation)!
Anyway somehow Tom and team got down by north of Silverwood Lake, following a signal that didn’t exists. I think Tom was following the T9* that was back up on the cutoff road from rt. 138
All transmitters were not found. T9* which was on Old mill Road (a short cut between Lake Gregory and hwy 138). This was the transmitter that caused most of the confusion that ensued. We saw K6RXX Greg down by Lake Gregory and it was still early, but he never checked into T9*!
The idea was to have two T’s that Id-ed the same but at the large distance apart, so they should have been seen as separate T’s, but to confuse the hiders as they closed in. I think that VCR team must of passed by T9* as the last time I talked with them, they where down by Lake Silverwood (unless they came down Pilot Rock road) (that is one terrible road)! Gregg found the mini T12 near T7, I don’t know how Gregg missed the main T! Check below for a map and pictures of the T’s. Thanks to all that ventured out to hunt, hope you didn’t get caught by the various foggy places that plagued us during setup.
It looks like Doug WA6RJN has won again, probably due to the fact that he just won’t stop!
